30 November 2007

For half a century UNSW’s School of Surveying and Spatial Information Systems has produced the vast majority of surveyors working in NSW and stayed at the forefront of surveying and positioning education and research. It has had various incarnations, from a department within the then School of Civil Engineering, to an independent School in 1970, with three name changes over the period since.

It’s a proud story which has now been captured in a new book The History of the UNSW School of Surveying and Spatial Information Systems, 1949 – 2007.

Academics and students past and present have contributed to this book to create an account which captures not only the details of the school’s evolution at UNSW but also the characters and capers which are fondly remembered by its alumni.

Head of School Professor Chris Rizos said the book was a celebration of 50 years of university education in surveying – a subject which was previously taught under the articled training system.

“It was a transformation from a skills-based, learning on the job-type technical skill to being recognised as a university profession,” he said.

Most of the registered surveyors in NSW today passed through UNSW and many of those alumni gathered for the book launch at UNSW on November 23.

Tony Robinson was one of the first five students to graduate from UNSW’s new Surveying Degree course in 1962.

Dr Robinson went on to work in the NSW Department of Lands before returning to teach at UNSW, progressing to Assistant Dean, International, before his retirement in 1999.

He was one of the many former students and academics from Surveying to contribute their memories and photographs to the book.

“It celebrates 50 years of the commencement of the course and the course has not only survived but thrived,” Dr Robinson said.

The book was written by Dr Robert Loeffel, a Visiting Fellow in UNSW’s School of History and Philosophy, while the introduction was written by Peter Holland, the chair of the SSIS School Advisory Board and the preface by Emeritus Professors Al Willis and Mark Wainright.

Copies of the book can be ordered through this link: http://www.surveying.unsw.edu.au/2007_50years/SSISHistoryOrderForm.pdf

NSW Surveyor General Warwick Watkins, UNSW Dean of Engineering Dianne Wiley and Head of the School of Surveying and Spatial Information Systems Chris Rizos at the launch of the book.